Symptoms of a dirty throttle body
A dirty throttle body causes engine problems like performance loss, "Check Engine" light, and bad fuel economy. The throttle body is a "door" that opens and closes inside the engine, allowing air to enter and join fuel in the combustion process, generating instant power. This "door," which is a valve, opens when you press the gas pedal, and closes when you release it.
Here are the symptoms that a dirty throttle body causes in your vehicle:
1. Rough Idle
A dirty throttle body causes that odd shuddering and car vibration when you stop the vehicle while the engine is still running; this is known as "rough idling." This happens because carbon deposits block airflow inside the engine, making it difficult to run steady. If you check the RPMs in your dashboard, you might see it running up and down when the car is at a stop.
2. Poor Acceleration or Throttle Response
A dirty throttle body can become clogged, meaning carbon deposits start blocking the air passage. So, when you press the gas pedal, very little air passes through the throttle body, and the engine doesn't make enough power. Consequently, the vehicle becomes sluggish.
3. Stalling or Sudden Engine Shutdown
A dirty and clogged throttle body won't have a good opening for air to enter the engine, causing the vehicle to stop working and stall. This can happen while at a stoplight, or even when slowing down.
4. High or Messy RPMs
A clogged throttle body has a tighter space for air to pass through, making the air struggle to join the combustion process. With less air to work with, the engine compensates by sending more fuel, leading to messy RPM changes.
5. Check Engine Light on The Dashboard
A clogged throttle body makes the "Check Engine" pop up on the dashboard. Modern vehicles have sensors that pick up on air intake problems, and a clogged throttle body causes airflow, fuel mixture, or idle control problems. Therefore, these sensors, known as the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) and Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) send a warning to the dashboard.
6. Poor Fuel Efficiency
A clogged throttle body gives a smaller opening for air to enter the combustion process, resulting in less power to the engine. Therefore, the engine starts compensating for the low air it's receiving by using more fuel in the combustion process. This results in lower gas mileage and increased fuel consumption.
7. Hesitation or Jerky Acceleration
A dirty throttle body can lead to hesitation or jerky movements when accelerating. You might experience a bad performance or feel the car struggling to pick up speed. This happens because the engine isn’t receiving the needed air amount, causing bad fuel delivery.
8. Black Smoke from the Exhaust
In extreme cases, a dirty throttle body can block so much air from joining the combustion process, that the engine starts compensating with too much fuel. This leads to black smoke coming from the exhaust due to incomplete fuel combustion.
